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16—47372-1 GPO 




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TO THE 



ERM.^!f POPULATION OF mmik. ( 



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AND ADJACENT STATES, 




SALEM: 

•W. N. WILSON, PR. 

1854. 



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TO THJB 



GERMAN POPULATION OF VIRGINIA, 



AND ADJACENT STATES^ 








SALEM ? 




1854. 


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We have witnessed, with pleasure; the progress of education within 
the borders of our States, for the last five years. Religious denominn- 
tions, benevolent communities, towns, and intelligent neighborhoods, ap- 
pear to vie with each other, in theerection of Colleges, and in the endow- 
ment of superior Schools and Seminaries, for the education of the youth 
of both sexes. Education has of late received an impulse;'before which, 
the prejudices of ignorance, and every other long-standing impediment, 
give way ; the future brightens with prospects of hope, to the man of the 
church, and the friend of his country. 

"We, the descendents of a German ancestry, am.idst these cheering 
views, have a responsibility- to meet, to maintain the name and distinc- 
tion that are due to us as a people, who have ever given their influence 
in determining the destiny of our country, and the condition of the 
church. Our forefathers were among the friends ot- liberty, whose blood 
was wasted upon the battle-fieldsi of the revolution — our Universities in 
Europe still retain th'^ir high reputation — our German literature, trans- 
l?.ted, furnishes our American Colleg'es and Theological -Sem.inaries with 
their ablest text-books in Philology, Church History and Systematic The- 
ology. Our missionaries were the first,- since th* reformation, that 
preached the gospel to the heathen — -under the tropical heats of India, 
and in the snows of Greenland, were their fields of labor. 

Let us not now be delinquent in maintaining the well m.erited reputa- 
tion of our ancesir}'-, but join in W'ith the irreat educational movements 
of the age. We have a large population under the control of our Ger- 
man churches, the destiny of whose families, fortunes and influence iii 
coming life, are in great part dependent upon the extent and character of 
their education. Wc see times have chanjred and we must chan2:e with 
them. The great aim of both rich and poor, now, is education. For- 
merlv, the wealthy only could educate — now, coHe^-es, and good schools 
are established in every convenient section of country. The number of 
intelligent teachers is increasing. The j)oor man hoards his sons and 
daughters at home, and sends them to the Academv and College, and 
educates them. 7'iie enlerprismg apprentice perfoi-ms his day's work, 
•dud recites Ids Latin and Greek privately at ni,glit. 'i'li'e poor young man 
works on the farm, teaches a primary school, raises n.<nd.s by his own 
exertion, and then graduates at college. Native talent is iiti» moie sudei- 
ed to remain uncultivated for want of opportunity ; but W'herever therti 
i^ a youtii of mind, he has acrr-^s lo tlie means fV)r his im])rovemeni.- •■ 
A kc'en-sighted hIacUsmilh, who has his son at roliege, remaiked, "[ 
have lo v.'ork hard lo puj)norf him, bn! I ])lai(dy see that as wealth for- 
tnerlv gave ;) iswu; inllurn'je, rdijr-;Uion is now ^-uhstiluted for wealth, it 
i-" no n!or<» .i->krd, is 9 ir,;)n nr-Ii !mi1 i^- lio "^ mnii of pdiKntion.''' Tlic 
I !ngn;ige is phiii;, bn' (!r !•!<:. '' . •■ 



4 <&t>:^XA£.. 

Our people in Virginia, N. Carolina, and Tennessee, are mostly en» 
fjagetl in the peaceful, and honest pursuits of agriculture, characterized 
by that ecunoiny, industry and integrity, that have von for them the 
confidence and sympatfjy of every .surrounding community. But whilst 
they have excelled in tiaining up their children in habits of indu.stry, 
and the unaffected virtue's of a rural life, they have failed, in not edu- 
cating youns: men enough to supply the profes.vional and literary wants 
of their population. As the result of this failure, we are now ver\ much 
in want of a sufficient number of well triained ministers. In many [da- 
ces, both in the South and West, we have charges already organized, 
that have been vacant for years. Oh! ihat we could get p^ous, and hi' 
ielbgeni men, to preach fo our people; other churches have intelligent, active 
men,and we must have- them too, is now the prayt- r Jrom many parts of the 
church, where vacant charges exist. We are also much in want of well 
educated teachers, for getting up, and manning .-uperior schools. As 
education advances and becomes more popular, the demand for classical 
•cholars, and learned men. will still he greater. They will be wanted 
not only as ministers of the gospel, but also to act in the capacity of 
college-professors and instructorf* of high schools. Fine salaries are of- 
fered, and fields of usefulness opening in every part of our country, for 
well qualified instructors in the Ancient Languages, and the superior 
Mathematics. Then again, in consequence of this state of things among 
our German people, we have not a sufficient nuknber of intelligent busi- 
ness men within the bounds of many of our congregations, to give the 
church influen3e ip intelligent conmunitip's, and effijiency in her 
cnlerpri>es, aijd benevolence. We see in the building of churches, and 
the contributions to promote missionary and educational enterpriser^ 
iometimei one or two men of intelligence, and liberality, must take th« 
lead, and by their influence carry plans that would otherwise fail. Tlic 
liberal support of ministers, fhe promotion of Sabbath Schools, and the 
instruction of youth, are works of love, that, for their success, depend 
upon the intelligence of church n^embers. 

In consequence of our people not educating to a greater extent, our 
contributions have not been adequate to meet the wants of the church. 
In many places our ministers are not sufficiently supported ; and as there 
are so few of them, often overburthened with numerous labors. 'J'he 
people hear the gospel from their own pastors at interrupted intervals, 
sometimes, only once every four weel<s. Our people are often looked 
upon by others as behind the age — -engaged in niaking money, and pa}'- 
ing no regard to the great advancement of intelligence. 

These are the disadvantages to which we are now exposed, and these 
th«* animadversions made upon the German character. Many have been 
induced lo deny that they are Germans. The error that we have fallen 
into is not usiversal, but sectional : Let us confe«s and retrieve it. — 
We hate yet the means within our power, and whfii we avail ourselves 
of them, and properly understand our position, wc Vv'ill yet I.ave reoson 
to be proud of our origin. 

We have industry, we have wealth, we have honesty, and we hav« 
virtue; many of our people are beginning to see their res[)onsibility, and 
are willing to give their son* and their money, to retrieve our losses. — 
We have families, even in tiie more humble walks of life, whose chil- 
dren are trained up in the piinciplea of chiialianity, and habits of virtue, 



who have sons in the possession of native talents, governed by high 
motives ot honesty, tliat when ediicaicd would be qualified for any situ- 
ation in lile, confer honor upon their parents, and dispense lasting bless- 
iriirs upon their country, The history of G?rman literature shows, that 
the German possesses talents that have not been excelled by" any other 
nation. Even in Ameriv*a, as far as our people have been induced to 
educate, th'^yjiave had no need of beinti; a>hamed of either the taienrs. 
or piety of their sons. From the tisne that we have had the first college, 
that we could call our own, at Gettysburji:, Pa. — some of the younor men 
froin Virginia and N. Carolir>a, who were induced to attend that instilu- 
tiou, and receive an education, are now numbered wiih our mo.-t j)opular 
authors, and occupy posts of the hif?hest trust in the church. Oh! thiit the 
families of the German cliurches of tlinse States had permitted ntore ot 
their talented sons to leave the plough, and the work-shop, for the col- 
leore ; we would now have more men to build up our inslitutioufl, and fili 
the pulpits of our most intelligerit congregations. 

TO FAREISl S — Some of you aie urder the impression, that from the 
improv enitnt tlie primary school sy>tcms l.ave received, and Ir )rn the 
dexterity with which men of native talents have managed their ordinary, 
secular atlairs, that the practical education the common school affords, is 
sufiicient for the coming generation. Do you not see the ri.'-ing interests 
olourcountr\ — its lerritory extending— its population rapidly increas- 
ing — its agricultural interests advancin"^, in the convenience ot its mar- 
kets, and the improven.ents of the soil.? Our mineral wealth is bein^ 
developed, and tlie jir 'duclions of our manufaclories are consumed in 
every foreign land. You see accounts of the arrival of thousands of im- 
migrants, of every religious creed, ever\' popular sentiment, and every 
grade of mc)ral chariac.er. Hence you m.ust be aware, from th«* onward- 
iies> of our progress — -the restlessness of our population, added to our 
uririvalled prosjjerity, that we will either ultimately republlcanize all na- 
tions, by the glory of our example, oi will retard the progress oflibertv, 
to future ages, by our ruin. Every friend of his country, and especially 
every parent, is called upon, in view of this state of thiuirs, to s^-t hi.^ 
example, and define his position in behalf of his country's rights, againsi 
the move-ments that may embody the elements of its ruin, and in behalf 
of the Religion of Jesus Christ, against the incessant attacks of infidelitj" 
and vice. Hence the necessity of giving to vour sons* whom such a des- 
tiny awaits, all the advantages of a most thorough education. 

Parents, We look to the succesisi of the church alone, for the perma- 
nency of cur free institutions. Ild»*})ends u{,'on the exten>i>m ol the 
go.-pe'l, and the difnusiori of that virtue and integritv, among the masses, 
which emanate from our holy religion alone. 

Then encourage your sons to be fitted for the field, not the field of 
battle wheie garujents are rolled in bloovj ; but the field of moral conflict 
between the church and the woild, wtjere truth and error are in mtajjo- 
nism. Send them to college, and give them the qualifications the 
chuich and your country demand. 

The following appeal to parents is from the July number of the Evan- 
gelical Review, published at Gettysburg, Pa. — "Christian parents, too, 
have a m«st important sphere of duty in this matter (the supplying the 
churcti with miruslers and intelligent christians.) They are under the 
inoit yacred obli^ration net merely to ayoid placing obitruc'iona in tb-e 



APPEAL. 



^va3' of Iht'ir oifsprjng, ;i.s ks .-omeiimes ^^niiuiiy (iout^, when these chii- 
ilieii arc desirous ot'.sorvniL^ God in the. courts ol' his sanctuary ; but to 
encourage and help tliein forward to such desires and resolutions. ' i 
have lent him unto the Lord" was the language of a mother in Israel, iii 
regard to her first born, "I have lent him unto the Lord; as long as he 
livcth he shall be lent unto the Lord." How frequently has such a vow 
been registered on iiigh ; God working in his providence, b\'' his gifts, 
and the influence of hi? spirit, to bring about a fulfilment. Parents 
have a great v.'ork to do in fitting and sending laborers into the Lord's 
harvest field. It is a work which may involve sacrifice oi earthly pros- 
pects, and earthl}'- interests, whioh may demand prayer, and self-denial, 
and constant exertion. But it is a work demanded by the necessities of 
lOur world, by the command and example of our ascended Master: a 
work, moreover, which none but Christian parents can successfully ac- 
complish." The want of ministers is beginning to be a matter of alarm 
in all churches. "The complaint of the want of ministers," says Bishop 
Meade, of ihe Episcopal church in Virginia, "is universal through all 
our borders. Amongst all denominations in (jur country, the proportion 
of ministers to the people has been for some years dimmislirng. The 
population of the whole land lias been, indeed, for along time, outgrow- 
ing the ministry. One of our Presbyterian Seminaries graduated, a 
short time ago, some half dozen students, to meet more than ten times 
{hat number of vacant spots asking ministers." Now, if other churches 
have those wants, how much more pressing are those of the German 
churches, when we have not only our own American population to sup- 
ply, but thousands of immigrants from Germany, speaking the language 
of our fathers, and having sung hymns and worshiped God in the churcli- 
es of Luther, and Melancthon, and Arut, and Frauke. They, as stran- 
gers in a strange land, naturally look to us to send them men from our 
institutions, who can preach to them iii their own language, and break 
to them the bread of life. In view of this our responsibility, let every 
man who feels for the great cause of Christ, pray to the Lord of the har- 
vest that he send forth laborers into the field. Let every ])ious mother ask 
the Lord to call the little son of her arms to the great work of the gospel 
ministiy. Oh, that we had many .mothers like the mother of the Mis- 
sionary Henry Lyman, who was murdered by the Ciinnibals to whom 
he wen^ to preach the gospel ! When she heard tlie intelligence ot the 
fate of her sou, she remarked, "I ble^s God, v;ho gave me such a son to go 
to the h<^ati»rn, and I never felt so strongly as I do at this moment the 
desire that some others of my sdhs inaj- become missionaries iil>o, and 
may go and preach salvation to tliose savage men \v!io have tirurik the 
blooci of my son." Another widowed motr.er u.'ider the spirit Cyf the 
mothers of Ancif^nt Israel,^ said in self-denyiiur faitl; v.'heii lier oide:>t 
son fe't himself callev! to preach the gospid to the heathen, to whom sii;^ 
and her seven childr<Mi were hooking up lor sup!)oif. : "Let him go ; (Jod 
will provide for me and my babes. And who am 1, tliat I should be 
thu>hon)r(.d to have a sun'a missionary to the heathen r" VVIien tliis 
son had labored faithfully in India, and irad died, this no'nie mother said, 
wh(-n lier second son a:-"])ired to walk in Hic foolstejKs of his brotlier, 
"Let William follow Jo.-ci)h, tnougii it ho to [utlia uiul an c;iriy grave.:' 
Paients, as God has givfii y-u < jiildt^ v,, he asMi.t'i his will is thatflifry 
live to ;U'jM.o!e hi^ :d<;rv 0:1 .ai!}! •. ' ' "''''' ■ ■ 



APrr.xL. i 

u^ni'ul ill (he ;ricat ra\is(? ofreliglon and truth; and if Cod calls their, to 
Uie great work of the ministry, let them go — send them to the college 
to receive an education, that they may honor God in high posts of use- 
fulness. 

If you have no sons of your own whom God calls to the work of the 
ministry, perhaps you have it in your power to assist another man'n son, 
in receiving an education, who is poor, and whom God call? to the work; 
for the Lord calls the poor of this world as well as the rich to preach ths 
Gospel. 

ROANOKE COLLEGE vre believe is adapted tc;th8 wants of our people. 
It is located in a thriving village on the \'a. & Tenn. Rail Road. surround- 
ed by anintelligent communit}'-, possessed of the hospitality so prover- 
bial to ih« South. 

This institution is intended as far as practicable, to maintain the reputa- 
tion of German scholarship in its thorough collegiate course, in Mathemat- 
ics, Philology, and the Intellectual and Moral Sciences. Modern langu- 
ages, and particularly the German, are taught as extra-studies by our pro- 
fessor of Languages, who is a German, and educated in German}'. 

In order to extend the privilege of an education to as many of our 
young men as possible, we have reduced the expenses of the institution 
to the moderate amount of $112,00 per year. 

Students reside in the college, -and board with the Steward at the rate 
of $1,37-1 per week. 

The majority of the students connected with this college since it has 
been chartered have been pious young men. And the aim is, as far as 
possible by a mild discipline to keep the institution free from immorality 
and bring the students under religious influence. 

.Additional buildings are under contract to be erected this falL 

YOUNG MEN, you have it m your povv^er to supply the wants of the 
rhurch. You can fdl up the ranks of the ministr}^ and do your part in 
ihe great work of education, and of winning souls unto Christ* RecoL 
lect whilst you remain undecided, it is estimated that eight hundred mil- 
lions of human beings die every thirty-three ytars,the majority of whom 
never hear the gospel. Twenty-rive millions die a year — sixty-six 
ihousand a day, and two thousand seven hundred, every hour. You might 
instruct some of the present generation in the doctrines of Salvation be- 
fore they go down to their graves— you might fill some vacant charge to 
gladden the people of the Lord with the messages of love. 

You may have difficulties to Encounter, and remain undecided, though 
3*ou feel it your duty to become a minister — but recollect you are only 
young onctt, and your indecision may make you an unhappy man for life — - 
every work you begin you may feel that you are not in your place — the 
Lord called and you did not answer. 

To those of you more advanced in age. This situation is sometimes 
urged as an objection by well disposed men. The writer in the Evangel- 
ical Review upon the subject of the '*Great Want of the Church—The 
Reason of it, and the Remedy :" remarks, "there are men of peculiar 
character, and qualiiication(advanced in age before they begin to study,) 
who will do more m i^n or fifteen years of life yet remaining than nin-^^- 
tenths of tho?e who begin earlier, and labor longer in tlif !«ame undfrta^ 
kin<r.'' 



8 APPE-AL. 

A Mistake Corrected. — It lias been the impression m some places 
that Roanoke College is a Theological institution, or has Theulogy taught 
in connection with it. The institution is \)\\te\y literary, and only af- 
fords instruction in the branches embraced in a regular collegiate course, 
besides acmitting young mesi who only intend taking a pariial course, as 
a mere business education. 

D. F. BITTLE, 

S. CARSON WELLS. 

H. G. VON HOXAK. 



NOTE . — A copy of this appeal will be sent to ministers, and friends of Roanoke College. 
We would feel obliged by those rcreiring them, taking an interest in their circulation, and or- 
dering as many copies of the appeal as may be necssary. 

\^ The division of the scholastic year in cur Institution has been chaingcd from two sesiiont 
lo a single one of tea months, whick will commence Oct. 4th. 



